The cold Autumn sunshine peered feebly through the soft wisps of cloud, lighting the milling crowd.
A mass of blurred colours and gazing faces.
A sizeable rectangle of sandy arena sprawled out like a child's play mat at the stadium centre, dotted with splashes of bright show jumps.
The rider felt the nerves that sat heavily in his stomach weighing him down in the saddle.
His long fingers felt numb and his toes tingled. The damp, hot smell of horse swirled in his flared nostrils.
A light film of dust from the arena coated his tongue, he swallowed dryly.
The horse beneath him threw out its bony legs as it lunged underneath him.
It's fine, intelligent head tossing on its arched, mahogany neck.
The jump loomed ahead.
The horse's thundering hooves thudding in time with his racing heart.
Then the animal rocked back on its hindquarters, its immense muscles bunching.
The rider stood up in the narrow stirrups, threatening to topple at any moment.
The horse launched with terrible power over the banded poles.
Nearly a ton of sinew and muscle took flight effortlessly between the rider's gripping legs.
His world seemed to tip as the arc ended and the horse's legs reached back to earth.
The rider strained to hear past the crowd's cheers.
A rasping scrape reached him and his heart sunk past his fluttering stomach. He could hear the pole rocking in its silver cup.
The pair seemed in danger of smashing headfirst through the clouding dust and into the sand before the horse flung itself into a long stride.
The rider lurched forwards, catching himself on the horse's flexing neck.
His head whipped around and through the streaming ebony stands of his mounts tail he watched the pole rock.
The horse cantered between the flickering finish flags, its breath coming in deep heaves.
Ponderously the pole slowed and settled back into the cup.
Time stopped.
Then the stadium erupted into screaming cheers.
All the colours rose as one, applauding him on his first championship.
The rider sat still and soundless in surprised shock.
• By Monique Sage, Year 11, St Kevin's College
